I have a 3 week old!

Well, I finally took the pregnancy ticker off of the blog, because I am not 42 weeks pregnant--I am the mother of a 3 week old precious baby girl, Camille Rae Nix. Camille was born on Saturday, February 20th at 2:55 pm. She weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 21 inches long.

Everyone always wants to hear everyone's childbirth story, so I guess I will share mine. On Friday morning, I began having contractions which were very sporadic. Andy took me to the doctor's office to have them monitor me (so I wouldn't have to sit in triage at the hospital). They monitored me and checked me...nothing, so they sent me home to rest. I was very upset at first--then realized that the end was truly near and I would rather have early labor at home than in the hospital. So, I went home for the day, and Andy went to work to tie up a few loose ends (because he was planning on staying with me the first week we brought Camille home). We ate Chinese food that night (because my friend, Marcie, had eaten the same Chinese food the Friday before and went into labor, so I was trying to help things along:)). Well, it worked, that night at 12:30 am, I woke up having a contraction and then felt a POP! I thought Camille had head-butted me, but actually, my water broke. When I got up to go to the bathroom, I had to make a run for it. I went ahead and woke Andy up and took a shower. Off we went to the hospital. By the time we got to the hospital, I got out of the car and had to book it to the Women and Children's center because I was gushing stuff everywhere...just like on TV. I have never met or heard of anyone whose fluid ruptured like mine--it was crazy!

They quickly got me into a room and I was already asking for my epidural (which is a little piece of heaven here on earth, let me tell you). The nurse anesthescist who put it in was amazing, I didn't feel anything but the numbing shots they gave me--I told her that she had extra jewels in her crown in heaven for relieving me of my pain. From then on, we napped and watched the DVD's I brought of "Friends". We were thinking this whole ordeal was pretty laid back, and then I started pushing...2 hours later, Camille was here. "2 hours?!?!?" you ask? Yes, 2 hours. I was such a wimp, plus she was face up and apparently this makes the entrance into the world much more difficult for Mommy when she is pushing. I also had a fever (which Camille had as well when she came out) and she had had a bowel movement before she came out--so things were very interesting there for awhile.

She has now been in our lives for 3 weeks. Andy stayed home with me the first week, my mom the second week, and this past week, I was on my on (sort of--I've had lots of help with my wonderful mother-in-law, Sandra). I am amazed day by day of how much I love this little girl. I was also surprised to find out how much more it made me love Andy--something no one ever told me. It is crazy to know that there is a little piece of both of us in Camille, unreal. I also have to wish Andy a Happy Birthday--he will be 31 years old this Wednesday, St. Paddy's Day. Here are a few pictures of Camille. Enjoy!